An exhibition in the Tretyakov Gallery is dedicated to the memory of Leonid Astafiev Automatic translate

There is an exhibition in the Tretyakov Gallery where you can get acquainted with the work of Leonid Astafyev, a restoration artist who devoted almost half a century of his life to the restoration of works by famous artists stored in the Moscow Tretyakov collection.

Thanks to Leonid Astafyev’s professional skill and golden hands, gallery visitors can see the well-known canvases of Repin and Surikov in perfect condition, and as part of a team of restorers, he worked on the restoration of Vrubel’s decorative panels damaged by fire. Astafyev’s work was appreciated - he was awarded the highest category in the profession of an artist-restorer.

The artist’s decision to devote himself to the profession of a restorer was not accidental - this profession was owned by his father, who also worked in the Tretyakov Gallery. Naturally, Astafyev, from childhood surrounded by creative people, chose the school “In Memory of 1905” as his place of study, where he received the profession of an artist.

However, the young man was fascinated by the art of ballet (even the thesis in the school was written on the ballet topic) and, having decided to try his hand at nothing, he began to study in the experimental class of the Bolshoi Theater Choreographic School after a serious competition. He studied there for three years, while in addition to classes in ballet classes, he gained knowledge on the history of theater and music, but still the Tretyakov workshops and the painting department were chosen as the place of work.

At the same time, Astafyev continued to paint. The landscapes painted by him adorn the collections of private collections, are in the collections of famous museums of the country. The current exhibition was opened by his fellow artists in memory of a wonderful master and will work until November 11th.

Ludmila Trautmane